Everyone raised their glasses in celebration, enjoying a harmonious atmosphere.
Ji An put down his glass and said:
"Senior Brother Zhang is currently cultivating at Mo Ya Mountain. I wonder how much his cultivation has advanced."
Mo Ya Mountain is a Tier One Upper Grade spiritual vein, with ample spiritual energy inside. A cultivator relying solely on absorbing nature's spiritual energy can rapidly enhance their cultivation.
Cultivation emphasizes Dharma, Companions, Wealth, and Land. Having a location rich in spiritual energy can greatly speed up cultivation progress.
Chu River swallowed the meat in his mouth and smiled:
"Senior Brother Zhang advanced to the Sixth-Layer Qi Refining just two months after arriving at Mo Ya Mountain, and now he's preparing to break through to the late-stage Qi Refining."
His tone lowered, and he sighed:
"I've only just advanced to the Fifth-Layer Qi Refining. I have no hope of catching up to Senior Brother in this lifetime.
But Senior Sister Zhao advancing to the Sixth-Layer Qi Refining is truly delightful and worth congratulating."
Zhao Mengyao smiled humbly and said:
"It was merely a stroke of luck to advance."
Chu River scratched his head and smiled bitterly:
"My talent in Artifact Refining is average. When the three-year sect assessment comes, I might have to leave the Artifact Refining Hall and live as a magical combat cultivator relying on hunting demon beasts.
I just feel guilty about my family's support and don't know how to repay them in the future."
The crowd fell silent; this topic was indeed harsh.
The three-year assessment for new disciples is crucial, especially for those in the Artifact Refining Hall and Beast Taming Hall. Failing the assessment means leaving the hall.
Magical combat cultivators do not engage in production and can only rely on sect tasks or hunting demon beasts to earn contribution points for their cultivation.
In terms of safety, it is far less secure than steady cultivation within the sect.
Wei Songnian chuckled and, upon seeing everyone's attention drawn to him, said:
"Junior Brother, I have a word for you, hear it if you will."
Chu River cupped his hands:
"Please teach me, Senior Brother."
"Artifact Refining requires talent. If Junior Brother has already confirmed his lack of talent, it's better to abandon it early and avoid wavering.
With two years until the sect assessment, spend all your extra time outside of tasks on improving cultivation and practicing attack and defense magic.
I was also placed in the Artifact Refining Hall by my family. Half a year after joining the sect, I accepted my lack of talent and chose a path that suited me better, and I'm doing quite well now."
Though these words might seem somewhat presumptuous, Wei Songnian shared them with the intent of having more friends and broadening his path.
Artifact refiners with poor talent require more practice to keep up, but their growth potential is limited. Many can't compare to spirit farmers even after years of Artifact Refining.
Switching tracks might be more promising.
"Thank you, Senior Brother, for your candid words. I will ponder it well when I return."
Chu River nodded slightly; he had been considering whether it was worth continuing, and today's conversation helped him reach a decision.
Zhao Mengyao changed the topic, and everyone started discussing cultivation.
Although everyone cultivated different techniques, the exchange of thoughts brought insights to everyone present.
This represents 'Companions' in Dharma, Companions, Wealth, and Land. An individual's thoughts are inevitably limited, but exchanging ideas with peers and listening to mentors can sometimes suddenly clarify longstanding issues.
...
After drinking, both host and guests enjoyed themselves.
Ji An gestured for Wei Songnian to stay, while he bid farewell to the others.
"Junior Brother, do you have anything else?"
Ji An took out 2 Spirit Stones and counted out 40 Spirit Crystals, pushing them toward the other:
"Another 8 Jade Pills, please."
As always, hoarding Spirit Stones in hand is worthless; unless there's a special need, he intends to spend every single Spirit Crystal.
"Junior Brother, you don't save even a single Spirit Stone, what if something urgent comes up..."
Wei Songnian chuckled, still quickly taking out the pills. His style never leaves profit unclaimed.
"If something urgent happens, I'll borrow a little from Senior Brother; at that time, don't refuse, Senior Brother."
"Haha, no problem," Wei Songnian nodded.
After exchanging for the pills, Ji An rode the Talisman Bird to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.
Upon reaching the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, he happened to see Li Changfeng on duty and approached him with a greeting:
"Senior Brother Li, sorry to bother you.
I came to exchange for some Spirit Grain Seeds and Talisman Grass Seeds, as well as the mid-stage Qi Refining Spell of the Qingyuan Scripture."
Li Changfeng's eyes lit up, smiling:
"Junior Brother Ji, you're a rare visitor, it's not often I see you.
Congratulations to you, Junior Brother, breaking through to the Qi Refining Fourth Level in just a year, you are quite outstanding among the current batch of spirit farmer disciples."
You just haven't seen Senior Brother Liu Yu; he should be close to the Eighth-Layer Qi Refining.
Ji An chuckled and hand over his Jade Token, saying:
"Four acres of Spirit Grain Seeds, one acre of Talisman Grass Seeds."
Li Changfeng took the Jade Token, found the corresponding Jade Slip and grain seeds, measured them, and swiped the Spirit Disc:
"Spirit Grain Seeds are 16 contribution points, Talisman Grass Seeds are 8 contribution points, and the Qingyuan Scripture spell is 50 contribution points, leaving you with 6 contribution points available, Junior Brother."
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Ji An took the Jade Slip and the seeds, then asked:
"Senior Brother, I'm curious, how many contribution points does exchanging for the Perfection Level Planting Technique spell require?"
Though magic techniques are divided into entry, mastery, minor achievement, great success, and perfection levels, perfection is not the ultimate end.
The Dao is boundless, and labeling something as perfection means entering a whole new realm of understanding a technique.
Li Changfeng laughed, shaking his head:
"The sect doesn't have any spells concerning the Perfection Level, at least not that I've seen.
If a spell at the Great Success Level still falls under the category of technique, a Perfection Level technique is near the Dao.
Perfection Level spells can only be comprehended, not verbally transmitted, and awareness cannot be stored in a Jade Slip.
However, I've heard of an Inheritance Jade Slip that can record insights. I don't know if it's true.
Even if such a Jade Slip exists, it likely wouldn't record planting techniques."
Ji An felt quite disappointed; this meant he could only invest more spiritual mechanisms, time, and magical power to make progress.
...
After planting the Spirit Grain and Talisman Grass, Ji An practiced magic techniques and mixed Talisman Ink, living a simple and fulfilling life.
In his small courtyard, the spiritual energy contained within the vegetables increased more and more. One day, this place would become a Tier One Spirit Field.
Every four days, he took a Jade Pill, rapidly progressing in his cultivation over two months.
However, with the Stone Turtle as a greedy tenant, his progress was barely average among the Qi Refining Fourth-Level disciples.
Three months later.
After harvesting the Spirit Grain and Talisman Grass, he made Talisman Paper from the grass.
Ji An went to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall to pay the field rent and taxes, which were the same for Talisman Grass as for Spirit Grain, and exchanged for seeds to plant next season.
After all these days of hard work, what he had left were only 200 pounds of Yellow Sprout Rice, 3 Spirit Stones, 10 Spirit Crystals, and some Talisman Paper and Talisman Ink.
These gains were barely enough for him to buy Pill for cultivation; he still needed to accumulate 200 contribution points to buy a Magic Technique Jade Slip, which now seemed far off.
Sowing the seeds, he cast the Thick Earth Technique, embedding the seeds in the soil.
Ji An casually performed the Small Cloud Rain Technique, feeling as if he had entered a profound and ethereal state.
Streams of white mist rapidly gathered before him. In the blink of an eye, clouds covered the entire Spirit Field, with plenty to spare. Spiritual rain poured down.
The rain carried a unique fragrance that involuntarily immersed one's mind in the silvery rain lines, as if sinking into a beautiful dream.
When the cloud dissipated and Ji An retrieved his senses, he saw tender green sprouts appearing in the Spirit Field he had just planted.
Whoa, in the past it always took a day or two to sprout!